13 Sept 2024 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

[browningautorifle]

I'll bet that's 82nd about to jump into Africa. Brown bar is giving some direction.

[frankderrico]

I like how he has his M1A1 tucked in behind his reserve. Looks like there is a magazine in the rifle.

[jond41403]

I realize this is an older picture post but I have been looking and trying to find late world war II photos of small caliber arms being waterproofed at the muzzle with muzzle tape. Does anyone know what that is on the end of the soldiers m1 that has it cradled in his arm?

[Sapper740]

Looks like cotton batting to me.

[jond41403]

I thought so too or some kind of cloth because it looks like you can see a few strands of it. I believe it's going to be hard to find a photo of tape being used on the muzzle simply because you would have to have a very close up shot and most photos are off at a distance

[Bill Hollinger]

Possibly chewing gum?

[browningautorifle]

I was thinking a pull through flannel, to be withdrawn upon landing.

[jond41403]

Don't know if anyone is interested but I believe this picture does show the use of tape. Anyone know the exact date of this picture? If it's before September of 1944 then it's probably friction tape or something similar he's using, but if the date of this picture is November of 1944 or later, then it very well could be muzzle cover tape he is using to keep in place whatever cloth he has tucked in his muzzle and in his gas valve. When I blow up the picture, you can see he has fastened a little fishing line pull string to rip that hole unit off of his muzzle quickly if he needed to. It's even set up on the left side of his rifle to where he can pull it with his left hand if he was right-handed like most people are, and holding his rifle with his dominant right hand. The fishing line looking pull tab he has created, looks to run underneath tape that is wrapped around the gas cylinder lock and the end of the barrel if that makes sense.

[Striker62]

While not authority, Steve Ambrose in his book D-Day stated men where issued condoms for France and many men used them to cover the muzzle. One soldier even stated he used on on his M1 when interviewed for the book.